Water storage tank



March 6, 1928.I

P. GRAY WATER STORAGE TANK Filed Feb. 1. 1926 46 Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

PERCY GRAY, O'F JEFFERSON, IOWA.

WATER STORAGE TANK.

Application led February The object of my invention is to provide a water storage tank ot simple, durable and inexpensive construction, involving the use of an electrica-l heating element.

More particularly, it is my object to provide a wat-er storage device ol the kind under consideration having a water container received in an outer container, which de-` vice is provided with insulation rbetween the two containers and has a number of novel features of construction, ,whereby the parts are connected and supported with relation to each other and provision is made `for easy and convenient Iaccess to the inner parts for purposes ci: replacement or repair.

.Another `object is to provide suitable, novel and convenient means for connecting the inlet pipe with the inner container in such manner as to permit the ready ldisconnectifng` oi the pipe for repair or replace-r ment thereof and to permit convenient cleaning of the inner container. i

Still #a further object is to provide in such a 'heating device, 'such a structure as will trap the hot water at the top of the inner container.

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangen'ient Land combination of the various parts fot my water storage tank, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more lully set forth, pointed out in my clainisfand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure' l shows a side elevation of a water storage device embodying my invention, parte `being :omitted 'and parts being shown in vertical section.

Figui-e2 is a detail, sectional view taken on the' line 2--2 of Figure 1, .parts being omitted and parts `being shown in section Afor the purpose of showing 'the location and arrangement of the heating unit.

Figure 3 is a detail, sectional view illustrating the manner of assembling the intake water pipe.

Figure 4 is a detail, sectional view illustrating the connection of the outlet water pipe with the inner container; and

Figure 5 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line of Figure 3.

In the drawings herewith wherein there is illustrated form in which my improved water heating device may be embodied, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indieste generally a base 'supporting the upright 1, 1926. Serial No. 85,229.

pillar or the like 11. The Ybase 10 and pillar `11 form a support tor .my water heating device.

i Supported -on the pillar 11 is the outer container 12 which is provided at its lower, centra-l portieri with a downwardly projecting cylindrical extension 13 received `wit-inn the upper hollow end of the pillar 11 and fastened thereto by vmeans of screw holts 14. fllrecontainer 12 is preferably cylindrical in its lgener-al shape and has a removable dome-shaped top .15 provided with a peripheral iiange 16 secu-red to the body of the container 12 hy means of screws or the like 17,. i y

The bottom of the container' 12 `is of similar shape to th-stof the top, except that its concave tace is up. i

Received within the container 12 and substantially spaced from the Wall thereof and from the top and bottom is an inner water container' 18, having' and bottomy 19 and 20. Between the two containers are 'sections of insulation 2l except in certain :pl-'aces where loose insulation 22 is provided, where it is y desirable to 'have `convenient access to the inner container. r I

In order to rigidly support the container 18 within the'container `12 in such manner as 1to cause :as little heat tov be conducted from the inner to the outer *container as `poss-ibrle, I mount Von the inside fof thebottom 12 at the center Ithereof ia casting or the like 23, which is held :in vplace by means of a' screw bolt 24 extended through the f'bottom 12 and into the casting 23.

The casting 23 is provided with three sockets 25 to receive strong far-ms or legs '26 of non-heat conducting material, snch lfor instance as wood, which are inclined 'away from the sockets 25 and upwardly .for supporting the `container 18, which is provided with three-sided sockets 27 to receive the arms 26. Tlheiends Aof the arins aire beveled as lshown in Figure 1.

A similar casting :23 is mounted on 'the inside of the top 1-'5 :at the center thereof and is .held in place by means of a :screw boltv2'8 which is extended through the top 15 into the casting 23 under consideration.

The screw bolt '28 has a handle 29 for conveniently manipulating it or lifting the entire device, Iand the top 15 iis provided with what may be ycalled a spare socket 80 to receive and hold the screw bolt 29 when 'the the dome-shaped top,

screw is removed from the casting 23. The screw bolt and handle Q9 can then be used lor lil'ting the top lo.

The upper casting 23 is rigidly connected With the top lll ot the inner container 18 by wooden arms Qt similar to tho-e alreadyl described and similarly arranged and conneeted.

I use Wooden arms, because they have little heat eont'luetivity.

It will be noted that the upper seren' bolt 52S can be readily removed and. thereupon t-he top 15 can be taken oli' and the insulating material 22, vwhich is above the container 18 can he removed lor providing access thereto.

For supplying' water to the container itl, l providtl a :fhort section ol pipe 51, which has soldered or sweated on to its inner end a elosure plug 32, uhieh has a serenahreaded connection with a eylindrical extension 33 on the bottom 2t) oit the container lrt. This connection is by Afree ruiming threads. and a gasket ill is interposed between the plug 3Q and the sockety ot the extension lll to keep out ivater and'prot'eet the threads l'roni rust and scale. The plug il! is provided with spaced holes or recesses Ill in its outer suri'aee to receive a spanner wrench.

'lfiie container l2 has at its bottoni an opening 353 large enough to permit the removal ol the plug 32.

Fixed on the tube or pipe 3l is a dise or plate Bti received in the opening when the parts are assembled, but ot less diameter than that opening. This dise or plate should preferably be of some nou-metallic substance so as not to injure the galvanizing in the thin wall ol the inlet tube.

A cover plate 3T is tastened to the bottom ot the container 1Q for Covering the opening 35, by means ot sereivs 3S. rlt`he plate 3T has a. Central hole 39 therein ot substantially larger diameter than the pipe 31.

liy the arrangement just described, some play of the pipe 31 nith relation to the bottom ol the container li is permitted. I preferably uf-:e a galvanized steel tube 31, as thin as is proper, to avoid loss ol' conducted heat. The described arrangement ot the plate 3G Will help to sare the thin tube 3l from injury ii its outer end is moved, as during transportation. The pipe 31 is connected by a fitting 40 with a Water supply pipe 41. An inelinet'l baille plate is spaced upwardly and inwardly from the inner end ot the pipe 31, so that the water supplied to the. container 12 will be spread laterally instead of being permitted to flow directly upwardly.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a large clean-out opening for the Container' 18 which een be made available for cleanont purposes by removing the plate 3T, diseonneeting the pipe 31 lfrom the pipe fil and taking out the plug 32 and the pipe ill and the loose insulating materiali: around the pipe il. short cleanout pipe can be screwed into the extension l-l.

lin the top l) ol the container le' is a hoh: .l tubular extension llY is `welded to thtl top ll) around the hole lil and has a screw ping in its outer end.

in outlet pipe itl is sweated and iolilered into the extension la and is' curved troni thence downwardly and laterally` theri-l'roin as shown in Figures l and -l. 'l'he pipe lo passes outwardly through a hole 11T in the wall oll the container A guide collar 4:8, olf material whii'h will least injure the galxani/.ing on the pipe lll, is .fastened on the container 1:! around thi` hole li so that the pipe lo can be slid into this collar. 'lfhe lower ond ol the pipe lli is connected by a litting it with an upwardly extending tal-:e-oli' pipe A baille plate or strip oil, U-shaped in ont` line, is arranged with its central portion below tho opening Alil to prevent the direct up lion' oll the water lroln the container le into the outlet pipe.

lt- \vill be seen that .the dome shape ot l.he top .lll and the downward inclination oi' thtl pipe lt serres to trap hot water in the top olI the container tta', which thusr counieraris the tendeney ot the warm water to llov,1 ont olI the container .1.8 and dissipate, heat lijf warming the pipe during the periods when the water is not otherwise moving or lining dran'n out through the pipe 52.

l provide a thermostat controlled heating unit, the construction ol which does` not in itself lorm part ot my invention, coinprisiug the ordinary resistance unit 511 tonneeted with the wires and 5t) ol a circuit. interposed in one ol the wires is a thermostat 57 mounted in the wall ol the coutainer 1&1 adjatent'J to the point Where the heating element is mounted on such wall.

The container 12 has a large opening 58 covered by a removable plate 5t) to permit access to the heating unit and the thermostat, which are surrounded outside the eas ing 18 by the removable insulation 22.

It Will be seen from the foregoing that when my device is assembled, it has a number ot features of construction that malte for convenience in assembling and disassembling, espeoially `for the purposes of repairing and replacing parts.

For example, by removing the screw 28 and taking oil the top 15 and taking out the insulation above the tank 18, it is possible to have access to the top of the tank 18 for re placing or repairing or cleaning the pipe 46 or the extension 44.

The manner of supporting the container' lli in the container 12 by means oi the casting 23 and wooden legs minimizes the loss ol heat by conductivity, While affording means Utl llU

Cab

for holding the inner container in proper rigidly spaced position. `The insulation used might be hair felt which is quite soft, and will not support much weight unless compressed. Compression of the hair is imprac tical, because it reduces its insulating properties.

I have already mentioned the convenience of the structure for cleanout purposes.

lt will be noted that access can be had 'to the heating unit and the thermostat and to the inlet and outlet pipes.

Some changes may be made in the arrange ment and construction ol the various parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within theirscope.

By the use of the terms wood or wooden in my claims, I intend to include any strong material oi very small heat conductivity.

l claim as my invention:

l. In a device of the class described, an outer container, an inner container received therein and spaced from the walls thereof, a member secured to the bottom ot the inner container on the inner side thereof provided with a plurality ot sockets, heat insulating arms received in said sockets and inclined upwardly in diverging relation, sockets on the underside oi the inner container receiving said arms, spaced sockets on the top of the inner container', heat insulating arms received therein and converging upwardly, a reu'iovable cover for the outer container, and a detachable member secured on the under side thereof having sockets receiving the ends of said last-described arms, and a member accessible from outside the cover for securing said last-described member in position.

2. In a device of the class described, an outer container, an inner container received therein and spaced from the Walls thereof, insulating material between said containers,

rigid heat insulating` arms between the bottoms of the containers, a removable cover member for the outer container, rigid` heat insulating arms projecting upwardly from the top of the inner container and converging toward each other at their upper ends, a member on the under side of said cover having sockets for receiving the ends of said last-described arms, and means aCceS sible -from outside the cover for detachably holding` said last-named member in position with relation to the cover.

In a device oit the class described, an outer container, an inner container received therein and spaced from the walls thereof, heat insulating means for holding said containers in spaced relation, a cylindrical eX* tension projecting from the bottom of the inner container, a plug having a screw threaded connection therewith, a pipe pro- Jecting through said plug and extending ythrough the wall of the outer container, said outer container wall having au opening, a plate on said pipe of smaller diameter than the opening, and a second plate secured to the wall ot the outer container for covering said opening, having a central opening to receive the pipe of less diameter than said first opening. n

Des Moines, Iowa, January 25, 1926.

PERCY GRAY. 

